Clamping mechanism for radial drilling machines



fly w, 1923.

. J. E. LARSH CLAMPING MECHANISM FOR RADIAL DRILLING MACHINES Filed June 18. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 10, 1923.

1 J. E. LARSH v CLAMPING MECHANISM FOR RADIAL DRILLING mcnmns Filed Juzyel18. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m a j J. E. LARSH CLAMPING MECHANISM FOR RADIAL DRILLING MACHINES Filed June 18 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 10, 1923.

JAMES E. LARSH, OF CHEVIO-T, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOSDICK MACHINE TOOL COM- PANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OI-IIO.

' CLAMPING MECHANISM FOR RADIAL DRILLING MACHINES.

Application filed June 18, 1921. Serial No. 478,541.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, JAMns E. LARSH, a

citizen of th'e'United States, residing at the village of Cheviot, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamping Mechanisms for Radial Drilling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

It is'the object of my invention to provide novel and simple clamping means for radial drilling machines, operable in novel manner from positions substantially throughout the length of the drill-arm, to clamp the drill-arm in adjusted radial positions; further, to provide novel means whereby a fluidpressure device, actuating a clamp for clamping the rotatable column of the radial drilling machine, has connection with an axially movable rod extending lengthwise of the drill-arm, arranged to be manually axially movable from various positions lengthwise of the drill-arm regardless of the position of the drill-spindle lengthwise of the -drill-arm; further, to provide novel means whereby such fluid-pressure arr-angement has connection. with a 'manually ;operable'part for manually operating the clampingin'eans; andfurther, to provide novel means whereby cushioning of the clamping mechanism is obtained.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter: I I

Fig 1 represents a front elevation of a radial drilling machine, partly broken away, embodying my invention.

Fig.2 is a horizontal section of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the clamping means and the connections therewith, part of the drill-arm and slid being shown in dotted lines. I

F ig. 3 is a detail taken in section on the line 3- -3 of Fig. 1. I r

Fig. 4 is a detail taken in sectionon the line l of Fig. 2.

. Fig. 5 is an end view of my improved device.

Fig. 6 is a detail in horizontal section, taken on the line 6*6 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a detail taken on the section line 8 of Fig. 2

Fig. 9 is a verticalsection of the same, taken on the section line 9 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-section takenon the line 10--1O of Fig. 2.

line 13-13 of F ig. 1, showing the means for adjusting the drill-slide laterally on the drill-arm.

The radial drilling machine is exemplified as com-prising a base 21, from which the up right post 22 extends. A column 23 is rotatively supported about the post in any ordinary or usual manner, and, as exemplified, is at its lower end provided with a bearing 24 about the post, arranged to be clamped so as to rigidly position the column. This is accomplished by forming said bearing as a split-bearing, having a slot 25 therein. Lugs 26. 27, are on said hearing at the respective sides of the slot, clamping means being shown to draw the respective sides of the slot toward each other for drawing said bearing firmly about the lower or journal end of the post for fixedly holding said column to said post. The bearing normally spreads for relief of pressure about the ournal.

Thus a bolt 31 is received through bearings in said lugs, rotation of the bolt being prevented by means of a key 32 thereon, re ceived in a key-slot 33 of the lug 26, A nut 34 is received about the threaded end 35 of said bolt. The other end 36 of said bolt is threaded, and has a nut 37 threaded thereto. This latter nut is shown on an arm 38 having a handle 39 thereon, for manually operating the arm to clamp said bearing about the post. The clamping engagement of the bearing with relation to the post is to prevent rotation of the rotatable column, rotation of the rotatable column about the post being permitted upon unclamping of said bearing. the threads of the end 36 of the bolt and the nut 37 in such relation to'the lugs 26 and 27, that the arm or lever 38 will project in the desired relation from the bolt when the clamp is in clamped relation and effects Adjustment of the nut 34 places clamped relation of the clamp with a minimum ofswinging movement of thenut or manually operated lever. The levermay be operated by the hand or foot.

y In order to prevent unclamping of the.

bearing to undesirable extent, I provide a limiting bolt i1, received through bearings in said lugs 26, 27, this bolt being provided with a key 12 received in a key-way of the bearing 52, similar to -the key-way 33, to prevent rotation of the bolt. A nut- 9 4;3freceivedover-the threadedend of the bolt is adjustable toward and-from the head 14:

'ofthe bolt, to limit the unclampingniOvement of the wall of the bearing 24 about the post, so that undue freedom'of said bear- 1 ing about the pOStWil-l be avoided, thereby preventing a too-ready swinging of the radial'drill-arm hereinafter mentioned.

A drill-arm 51' is exemplified as having a bearing 52 about the rotatable column,

"the drilkarm and the'rotatable column bemg held together to -cause simultaneous movement" about the'axis of the column, accomplished, for instance, by providing a key 58 and suitable key-ways therefor between the bearing and the outer'periphery of the column to rotatively connect'the drillarm and the column, the key-way'in the column extending, throughout the height'of the column to sufficient extent to permit the sliding of the key therein throughout the adjustmentsto elevation of the drill-arm on the column, as is usual in structures of this character.

'Means are provided for adjusting the drillarm to elevation on the column, effected for instance by means of a screw-rod 55, threadved in a threaded bearing 56in the drill-arm and operated to rotate in both directions by cause rotation of the upright screw-rod 55 in reverse directions, according to Whether a raising or a lowering of the drill-arm is to be effected. 1

The bearing 52 is exemplified as a. splitbearing, varranged to be clamped to the column after the drill-arm has been adjust- ,ed to elevation, by means of handles 63 the hubs of which are threaded on suitable bolts 64, received through andconn'ecting' suitable lugs 65, 66, on the respective walls 7 of the slot 67' in said bearing.

A drill-slide 71 is adjustable laterally on th drill-arm, that is, lengthwise O-ZE- the armarm, A drill-spindle 72 is rotatable in'the drill-slide, as by suitable gearing between it and ashaft 73, extending longitudinally ofthe drill-arm, and: operated; suitable gearing, from the upright shaft 58. The drill-spindle is arranged tohave t fillit b drill Wk suitablysecured "thereto-{arid 'is feedableaxially up and down toward and from the work, which is. located on the base 21, in any ordinary or well known manner, as meansof. a suitable train of gearing mounted on and movable with the drill-slide and operated from the shaftv 73, or manually feedable bymeansof a hand-wheel; 7 5 or the face-plate 76 and its arms 77 I :The slide is adjustable laterally or lengthwise ofithe-driltarm, on" guides 80, by a 'hand-wheel81fastron alshaft 82 rotatable .in'a bearing 83 of thejslide. Thewshafthas a worm 84; fast thereon which'o operatesa gear 85 ona' shaft 86 in a bearing87 on the slide. The shaft 861has a suitablelpinion '88 fast thereon, meshing -witha suitable rackw89 extending lengthwiseof the drill arma v The drill-arm is swingable to differentfradial positions about "the axis of the column 1 v for placing the drill-spindle at suitable points above the base 21; The extent of these swinging movements. may be 'sufiicie'nt" to place the 'drillspindle above the supplemenmovement and of consequent rotative move- 'ment of thecolumn about the post-may be such as desired, according to'the-capacity for adjustments ofthe same,-into difierent radial positions.v i

tal base-91, or the extent of such swinging I haveprovided power means for effecting clamping and unclampingrelati-on' of the drill-arm in its positions of radial adjustment, exemplified as'accompl-ished "by clamping the column tothe' post by' the-following described mechanism. i

A bracket 101 extends from the rotatable I coliimn, and has secured thereto a cylinder 102 by means of bolts 103. A piston 104: reciprocates in the cylinder, and is fixed to a piston-rod 105, movableaxially {in a bearing 106, on the head107 of the cylinder, the bearing being shown comprising apacking 108 adjustably compressed about thepiston-rod by means of a gland 109. adjust ably secured to the head of the cylinder by bolts 110 and nuts 111., the saidhead being secured to the cylinder body bybolts 112. The opposite head 11 1 of the cylinder is secured to thebody of the ,cylin der by bolts 115. I preferably provide the piston with a suitable expansible pistonring 117, received in an annular groove 118 in the piston, andar'ranged to make firm sliding engagement with the wall ofthe cyl inden' j I I connect the piston-rod with the clamping' mechanism," shown effected by providing an arm 121 shown extending from the 1,4-e1,eee

nut 37, and having connection with the piston-rod by meansof links 122, 123, articulated respectively at 124, and 125, with the piston-rod and the arm 121. The movement of the piston-rod in one direction effects clamping of the clamp-bearing 24 about the post, and movement of the piston in the opposite direction effects unclamping of said clamp-bearing, the manually operated arm or lever 38 operating idle.

I prefer to provide means whereby the power actuation acts to cushion the clamping mechanism at the ends of the clamping and unclamping movements of the same,

to afford ease of operation and prevent undue wear of or shock to the clamping parts. For accomplishing this in the present exemplification and for operating the piston, I provide a plurality of passages for the respective ends of the cylinder, one of each of said passages being arranged to be closed by the piston in its movement toward that end of the cylinder, atwhich said passage is located, and the other of said passages being arranged to be closed at its outer end by the valve, to form a cushioning chamber in advance of the piston. Thus I provide passages 131, 132, at the respective ends of the cylinder. I also provide intermediate passages 133, 134. The body of the cylinder is also provided with an inlet passage 135, with which a pipe 136 communicates. This pipe leads from a suitable source of fluid pressure, for instance, compressed air, arranged to be fed through'said pipe to the fluid-pressure device. The pipe has a shutoff valve 137 therein. The body of the cylinder is also provided with an outlet passage 138 communicating through a pipe 139 with the atmosphere.

A valve 141 is rotatable in a valve-chamber 142, and is provided with passages 143, 144, the respective passages each arranged to straddle two of the passages in the cylinder communicating with the bore of the cylinder in which the piston moves, for effecting movement of the piston in one direction or the opposite direction for clamping or unclamped relation of the clamp, the others of said passages being closed by said valve to form a cushion to cushion the stroke of the piston in the direction in which it is moved by the arrangement of said valve with relation to said passages.

Inthe present exemplification the parts I are shown arranged for clamping relation of the drill-arm or rotatable column, with the piston in up position, the inlet passage 135 communicating with the passage 144 in the valve, which in turn communicates with the passage 132 at the lower end of the cylinder, for admitting the compressed fluid, as compressed air, below the cylinder, to force the cylinder upwardly. Sufficient pressure escapes around the valve in the valve-chamber 142. to balance the fluidpressure at the respective sides of the valve. Unclamping .is efiected by a reverse arrangement of the valve and passages.

The valve is held to its seat 146 by means of a volute spiral spring 147 surrounding its stem l48, inthe cap 149 of the valve. This cap is held to the body of the cylinder by means of bolts 150. The valve-stem is rockable in a bearing 151 of the cap, packing 152 being received about said stem, a gasket 153, having threaded engagement in the cavity of the bearing, to adjustably compress said packing about the stem.

An arm 156 is secured to the stem. A link 157 has articulating connection 158 with the arm'156, and articulating-connection 159 with an arm 160 secured to a rockshaft 161.

This rock-shaft extends upwardly parallel with the column and is received through a bearing 162 on the drill-arm. An arm 163 has a bearing 164 received about said rockshaft. The bearing 162 is shown as a forked bearing, the arms of which are received respectively above and below the bearing 1.64 to cause simultaneous axial movements of said bearings. The arm 163 is movable 'up and down with the drill-arm along the rock-shaft and has connection with the rockshaft throughout its adjustments and the adj'ustments to elevation of the drill-arm, for effecting rocking of the rock-shaft at the various elevations of the drill-arm, accomplished, for instance, by providing the bearing 164 of said arm with a spline 165, slidable in a spline-groove 166 extending lengthwise of said rock-shaft.

I An axially movable rod 167 extends lengthwise of the drill-arm, and is shown supported in bearings 168,169, and is provided with collars 170, 171, coacting with the bearing 169 to limit lengthwise movements of said axially movable rod. The collars are adjustable along the rod, being held in adjusted positions by headlesssetscrews. The movable rod has articulating connection with the arm 163, by providing the same with a lug 173, with which a fork 174 of the arm 163 coacts, a pin 175 being received through the arms of said fork and a slot 176 in said lug, to accommodate the arcuate movements of the arm with relation to the axialmovements of the rod.

The axially movable rod is arranged to be grasped manually at any point of its length, regardless of the lateral position of the drill-slide or drill-spindle lengthwise of the drill-arm, so that the operator standing in front of the drill-arm at any point, whether in front of the drill-spindle or at either side thereof, may grasp the axially movable rod, either with the right hand or with the left hand, at the respective sides of the drill-spindle, for moving &

ficient space about said axially movable rod atmosphere.

age to the clamping mechanism.

throughout substantially its length for readily graspingthe same by the hand of the operator for axially moving the same to efllect clamping or unclamping relation of the drill-arm, regardless of the lateral position of the drill-slide and drill-spindle.

Itis sometimes desirable to place the power actuating mechanism for the drillarm clamp in inactive relation, so as to place said clamp under control of the manually operated lever 88, effected for instance by closing'oi the valve 137, and opening of the valves 177, 17 8, at the respective-ends of the cylinderfor placing the respective sides of the piston in'saidcylinder open to the It is also desirable to limit the pressure in the cylinder at the respective sides of the piston so as notto exceed a desired limit of pressure. For this purpose I provide the respective ends'of the cylinder with pressure regulating valves 179, 180,

communicating with the spaces in the cylin- 'der at the respectivesides of the piston, so that, if the pressure at either side should exceed the pressure to which the pressure regulating valve has been adjusted, escape of pressure through said pressure regulating valve to the atmosphere may take place to relieve the pressure in the cylinder, and thereby prevent undue strain upon or dam- Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1. in a radial drilling machine, the combination of a swingable drill-arm,- a sup port on which said drill-arm swings, a clamp between said swingable drill-arm and said support, a fluid actuated part for operating said clamp, cushioning means for the latter whereby to cushion said clamp, a

valve for said fluid actuated part, and an axially movable rod extending lengthwise.

of said drill-arm having connection with said valve and arranged to be manually grasped atv .various positions along its length for .manual movements of said rod axially to operate said valve.

'2. In a'radial drilling machine, the com-.

bination of an upright post, an upright column about said post, a drill-arm extending radially "from saidicolumn and adjustable to elevation thereon, a screw-clamp including a threaded element to clamp said column to said post, a fluid-pressure device comprising a fluid-actuated movable element, connections between said movable element and said threaded element, a valve to control the directions of movement of t said movable element, said fluid-pressure device comprising oppositely acting fluid cushioning means, and an axially movable rod ex tending lengthwise of said drill arm having connection with said valve and arranged to be manually grasped at various positions along its length vfor manual movement of said rod axially to operate said valve. 3. In a radial drilling machine, the combination of an upright'post, an upright column about said post, a drill-arm extending laterally from said column, meansfor adjusting said drill-arm up and down on said column, a fluid-pressure clamp atthe lower part of said column to clamp said column to said post, an upright rock-shaft at said column, connections between said rock-shaft and said clamp, a rockable arm mounted on said drill-arm and 'movable lengthwise of said rock-shaft and operatively connected with said rock-shaft to rock the same, and an. axially movable rod extending lengthwise of said drill-arm having operative conneetion with said rockable arm and arranged tobe manually grasped at various positions along its length for manual movements ofpsaid'rod axially to operate said rockable arm. I v

4:. In a drilling machine, the combination of rotatable column, a support for the same, a drillarm extending laterally from said column, a screw clamp at the bottom 1 of said column and including a threaded element to. clamp said column to said support, a fluid-pressure device compr sing a fluidactuated movable element, connections between said. movable element and said threaded element, to operate said threaded element, a valve to control the directions of movement-of said movable element, and an axially movable rod extending lengthwise of said drill-arm having connection with said valve and arranged to be manually grasped at various positions along its length for manual movements of said rod axially to operate said valve. 1 v

In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. JAMES E. LARSH. In presence of p v o LoUIs T. MURPHY, DELMA VVExNsINe. 

